Liska Breitkopf - May 2026

Looking after others well is not only about hard work, a job well done. It takes soulful presence - the demanding call to know and draw upon the deepest part of ourselves in relationship with others. Following a recent L'Arche retreat, Liska, a live-in assistant, reflects below on how entering that quiet inner space enabled her to connect more compassionately with herself and others.

Doing meditation or just sharing how we felt on a certain day always created a feeling of community and being understood as who we are.

Arriving at the Bield retreat house in Perth, I was very warmly welcomed by this special place. I remember that walking into the building for the first time, I could feel an atmosphere of relaxation and silence - inner silence. Staying in a room on my own gave me space to reflect on the past few months of my L’Arche experience, which has been huge and life-changing, infused with both tears and laughter, frustration and happiness.

As the retreat house is surrounded by nature, it was easy to focus on my personal needs and feelings - especially during the six hours of intentional silent time. I’ve never experienced shared silence for such a long time, and it opened a whole new world for me. Feeling no pressure or expectation to initiate conversations with the others made me experience everything more intensely and mindfully. In addition, the fact that everyone around me was silent felt like an invitation to spend this time alone… So I sat down on my own and had a cup of tea, danced in the swimming pool like a child, enjoyed a delicious lunch, fell asleep in my cosy bed and went on a beautiful riverside walk in a small forest.

Another highlight was getting to know live-in assistants from different communities: hanging out in the evenings, exchanging our experiences and playing games – that was really nice. As was creating my “life map”. This exercise gave me insight into what I had already achieved and how far I have come in my life. It was interesting and inspiring to hear the life journeys of the other assistants, as it also took some courage to share my story too.

Sitting all together in a circle with our very lovely retreat coordinators Monika and Jim and doing meditation or just sharing how we felt on a certain day always created a feeling of community and being understood as who we are.

These few days I spent at the Bield gave me the opportunity to live slowly, without the busyness of my everyday life, without responsibilities and expectations of myself - I was just being me.

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